A day for the guitar gods

[patrick_vecchio]

Yesterday was windy and rainy: a perfect day for listening to the blues, so my CD player was occupied by a disc a colleague gave me for Christmas last year. It rounded up the usual suspects - Robert Johnson, Wolf, Son House, Muddy, B.B. - but a little more than halfway through the disc are songs featuring my three favorite guitarists: Jimi Hendrix

Comments

[subtlecynic]

After decades of near constant exposure to(and appreciation for) all you mentioned (except Richard Thompson for the reason noted) I've slowly backed up and sought out the work of some different "old school" players like Mike Bloomfield(check out the 13 minute 'East-West" from the Paul Butterfield album of the same name) and earlier Ry Cooder. I usually avoid lists but would think Carlos Santana belongs there.

Would never have thought Duane Allman underrated. Maybe brother Gregg's later ups and downs obscured Duane somehow? Besides, Duane had another career as a session player apart from the "Brothers" that left most other guitarists in the dust.

Non-hero players who worked very well in their respective bands - Martin Barre, Buck Dharma and J. Geils.

[patrick_vecchio]

Great players all, and that's a fine list of non-heroes, too. I saw J. Geils Band five times. They never failed to rock the house.

Didn't Zappa (a monstrous guitarist in his own right) once do a song called "Variations on the Secret Carlos Santana Chord Progression" or something like that?

[subtlecynic]

I saw someone else mentioned Jimmy Page and had also thought Jeff Beck. I'm of the camp that think both were far better 'technique' players than most, Beck just never had the career to keep his image in the public view.

Once the Eddie Van Halen/Steve Vai/Joe Satriani era came and went, guitar-god-hero worship became more like nostalgia. Just too many really good ones to choose from.

[patrick_vecchio]

Beck would've been No. 6 on my list just for the solo he played on "5446 Was My Number" on Toots and the Maytals' "True Love" last year. If you haven't heard it, it's about a 15-second solo, and it'll melt your eax wax. Those last three guys you mentioned have monstrous chops, but I always thought their playing was a little cold. No soul to it, you know? Or maybe my ears are just too old ...

Eddie/Steve/Joe

[sirpaulsbuddy]

I'm with you here. The problem with Van Halen, Satriani, and Vai is that technique trumps everything else. Perfection isn't always perfect...(How's that for Zen...?)

[beastofbourbon]

Yep, FZ did that on his wonderful 'Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar' album.